Shadow Of Darkness: Avengers x Male Reader

Chapter 47: Demonio and Android

(Y/N)'s POV

I couldn't understand just how the hell it was possible for Bucky's Winter Soldier programming to be reactivated. I thought I burned that out of him already. Was it because I didn't keep a physical connection to him while I did it? No, it would've still worked.

Steve had gotten me and Sam to help bring Bucky to a warehouse to hide. The other two were chatting further in the building and I was sat looking over Bucky who still hadn't woken up. We locked his metal hand between some vice looking thing to keep him trapped if he was still in killer mode.

I walked towards him from my previous stance against the wall. I wanted to look at what his state of mind was. My hand slowly outstretched towards Bucky, pausing a few inches away so I could take a little look-see at his mind.

As I swam through his mind, I found that not only was there still bindings around the cells in his brain, they were slowly settling down as what I assumed was his consciousness was returning.

"Son of a bitch." I whispered aloud. I know for a fact I had helped him last time. There was no way Hydra had technology advanced enough to withstand your own skill set.

"Ultron, how the hell is this even possible? You had access to Hydra's files, right?" I asked, expecting I had enough time before Bucky would wake up.

"Well, I think your judgement on the matter is really lax." Ultron remarked. The hell was that supposed to mean?

"When Hydra first begin their mind controlling protocols, they use hypnosis and electroconvulsive therapy. It essentially allows them to fry certain memories away and gives them the ability to manipulate the recipient into doing what they want." Ultron explained.

"Yeah, no shit. I mean why is the programming still there? I burnt that away." I said, watching as Bucky groaned and started to move.

"It's based on a natural phenomenon. If the human brain takes in too much trauma at once, the brain can flush the memory away as to not overload the body. No matter what, the person won't remember the memory even if you show them footage of it. But..." If he didn't skip to the point, I swear.

"But...?" I rolled my eyes.

"But the memories always come back in time. Days, weeks, months. It's why Hydra had to constantly redo the electroconvulsive therapy. It added more time before the memories would return."

"This still isn't really answering my question." I huffed. By now I had backed off from Bucky as he slowly blinked his eyes open and closed.

"I'm saying that Hydra's work is imbedded. You can't just wipe it away with your powers. He needs reconditioning or exposure therapy." Ultron finally got the point, hallelujah. It wasn't fun to learn I had done nothing but snap him out of the daze rather than purge the curse, but there was room for improvement.

"Hey." Bucky said in a weak voice as he looked up at me. I stepped out of the room for a minute, looking down the warehouse at Steve and Sam.

"Hey, dickheads." How come the only one to help me out was this random AI. That's a reference to you folks at home. If you got it, you're cool.

The two came running over, slipping into the room as Bucky's eyes switched between us. "Steve."

"Which Bucky am I talking to?" Steve asked. Wasn't it a little obvious? He hadn't tried to shank us yet, so it wasn't exactly the Winter Soldier. Bucky didn't answer for a few seconds, as if he was thinking of something to say that only he would know.

"Your mom's name was Sarah... You used to wear newspapers in your shoes." Bucky chuckled at the last one. Newspapers in his shoes? Was that a tactic to look taller or something? Pfft, clearly it was still working for him if he did it today.